mayer



(No Model.) 3 SheetsSheet 1. J. B. MAYER. ELECTRIC SWITGHBOARD.

No. 473,848. Patented Apr. 26, 1892.

J. B. MAYER. ELECTRIC SWITCHBOARD.

3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

No. 473,848. Patented Apr. 26, 1892.

(No Model.) 3 SheetsSheet 3.

J. B. MAYER. ELECTRIC SWITGHBOARD.

Patented Apr. 26, 1892.

q vi bm-emeo as MM handling the switches, and to obtain other ad- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN B. MAYER, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JOSEPH MEIER, OF SAME PLACE.

ELECTRIC SWITCH BOARD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 473,848, ,d ted April 20,1892. Application filed May 11, 1891. Serial No. 392,274. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN B. MAYER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New J orsey, have invented certain new and useful. Improvements in Electric Switchboards; and I do. hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

The objects of this invention are, first, to secure a more compact arrangement of parts, whereby room is saved on the switchboard and the size of the latter may be reduced; second, to secure greater safety against burning out the terminals owing to the electric current following the plug when a break is being made in transferring the current of a given dynamo-machine from one set of lamps to another set to enable any desired combination between the dynamo-machines and the lamp to be made to reduce the cost of construction and secure greater safety in vantages and results, some of which will be described in connection with the description of the working parts.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, in which like letters indicate corresponding parts in each of the several figures, Figure 1 is a rear elevation of a portion of a switchboard. Fig. 2 is a sect-ion of the same, taken on line at. Figs. 3 and 4 are detail views of certain switchboard connections, which will be described. Fig. 5 is a front elevation of a portion of a switchboard, showing in detail one of a series or collection of connectingplug receivers. Fig. 6 is a detail side elevation, and Fig. 7 an end view, of the connecti g-plug. Fig. 8 is a side view showing the connecting-plug in the receiver and making connection between the dynamo machine wires and the lamp-wires. Figs. 9 and 10 are respectively an end view and a side view of a terminal forming a part of the plug ceiver. Fig. 11 is adiagram showing the g eral arrangement of parts in the system; and

Fig. 12 is a detail showing a binding-post, by means of which the conducting-wires are joinedto the connections of the switchboard.

In said drawings, a indicates a suitable 5 switchboard, which may be of stone or other non-inflammable material, slate beingpreferred.

b b are the lines connecting with the dynamo-electric machines 0 c, and (Z d indicate 6 the lines connecting with the lamps e e in any ordinary manner. The said lines or connections where arranged on the switchboard are preferably in sections and in the form of links I) d, as shown in detail in 6 Figs. 8 and 4. By this construction the assemblage of parts may be facilitated, and the connections can be more readily and easily adjusted in relation tothe plug-receiving terminals.

O The link-like connections are attached to 7 the wires of the dynamo-machines and of the lamps by binding-posts. (Shown in Fig. 12' in detail, or in any other suitable manner.)

The dynamo-machine connections on the 7 board are arranged at an angle to the lamp connections, as shown in Figs. 1 and 11, the positive and negative wires or connections of one set crossing the positive and negative wires of the other set at shown. The link-like connections are p ro vided at their ends with eyes which overlap, and the perforations g coincide and receive the shanks h of the plug-receiving t minal 1', the said eyes being shanks by nutsj or other appropriate means.

The links are held away from the board a Q by washers k, which are of greater thickness or length in one series of connections than in the other, as will be understood upon refer- 9 ence to Figs. 2 and 8, to hold the same apart or away from electrical contact with one another.

The terminals employed are preferably of the construction shown in Fig. 10, where the portion h, which lies at the front of the board and receives the plug, is shown to project from the face of the board. Itis in the form of a socket, which may be split to give a certain spring action and enable a more perfect I and certain contact with the plug. The proj ecti n g plug-receiving terminals are arranged right angles, as 8 held onto, the

in groups of four, one pair being in connection with the positive and negative connec- ---t-he forward face of the block.

The plug n consists, preferably, of a handle 0, having at one end thereofpairs of arms m, the arms of each pair having metallic con necops, as a} P, 11 m set as hea ngs t h l he riii' m. pre rela i e n s i n h ie The s a fi it ru e may se. een, hd te n. E s- 6; t e u a'gpri'n'g cne-g and'ihorefperfect cont-act.

liahdleo, which" is of non-conductive material, is preferably provided between the waneetiws p wi h, a, dge q; w h se es to iu's ul t'e' tii e, twoset'sof connections from one another'and preventing sho'rt-cii-cuiting.

the projecting "terminals cc of the block I thei efisan air-spa e or 'di 'nce between theextreitiities over the partition-walls, amounting in practice to set en'in'clies, more r'lesi iefixhi h he went i a e sew-9e ere firs wel at 'b'rirnt etete 'rials; elthm gh the e e s o he terminals arao'rny aii' inch or two laterally distant from one another in each group.

. the

"ti 'thefbnernenor' dep ed bea ie of the crossing of all th'e wires of the plurality of .I n'eiiififie ev'er ho 0 t amps and thgr0uping of the terminals in the mannergfiq man one r the dyna uio machines inay'be brought into connection'with any of t-liela'mp-wires by simply transferring the plug or one of the plugs to the desired crossing, m alging the proper combination.

"Havih'g'thus described the invention, what I 6 mm 35 9 r- I I Y.

1'. Theiniproved electrical switchboard for electrical-lighting systems herein described, combining with aboard aa series of crossing dynamo-machinea'ndlainpconnections b b d d'feach h a'yi'ng'plug receivers or terminals 1' open 'or exposed at' the front of the board and forming groups of four, each group having negative and positive terminals in connection with the lamp and dynamo machine circuits or connections, insulating material extending between and beyond the extremities of said terminals of each group, and a plug having four projecting arms arranged in pairs, one pair being insulated from the other, and said arms being adapted to enter into or be withdrawn from contact with the said four terminals simultaneously, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. The improved electrical switchboard for electrical-lighting systems herein described, combining with a board a a series of crossing dynamo-machine and lamp connections b b d d, each of said connections having terminals consisting of projecting sockets h, split to secure a spring action, and threaded shanks h, which receive .the said connections, and nuts for holding the parts together,insulatin g material interposed between said'socle ets, and aplug" having two pairs of insulated arms, all said parts bieing'arrang e d and combined substantially as set forth."

3. In a switchboard, the cdinbination, with the connections 11' d, of sockets h h, projecting from the board and inclosed by insulation excepting at the front where said insulation projects beyond the extremity of the sockets, and a plug, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

4. The combination, with the dyu amo;machines and their connections arranged on a switchboard, of lamps and their connections ngs mac e 9 iiec i ns'an 'g dups of terminals projecting from th'eswi'tch bloard and inclosed by perforated blocks of insulating material, the said terminals extending but part way through the block's, substantially assetforth 5. In combination with the dynamo-machines and negative and positivewires, the lamps and negative and positivewires, the switchboard having terminals projecting from the front of the board and having shanks pro.- jecting from the rear of said board, link-like connections connecting the dynamo-machine terminals, link-like lamp connections crossin g the dynamo-machine connectionsandjoin' ing the lamp-terminals, and aplug or plugs having arms to engage the'terminals, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony that I claim 'the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 17th day of April, 1891.

JOHN B. MAYER.

Witnesses:

CHARLES H. FELL, OSCAR A. MICHEL. 

